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Chapter Four of
A Simple Favor:
On March 7th 2002, Magneto sat in his base, around 9:30am, reviewing some blueprints, as he heard his cell phone ringing. He reached his hand out and called the device to his hand. He scanned the incoming number. He didn't recognize the seven-digit number, still, he flipped the phone open and pressed it to his ear.
"Hello?" he asked.
"Hey," he heard Rogue say. As well as an abundance of background noise behind her. Was she calling him from the school, perhaps?
"Rogue, are you, like, okay?" he heard Shadowcat ask.
"I'm fine," Rogue responded quickly.
"Then like, who are you calling?" Shadowcat asked.
"None of your business," Rogue snapped back.
"You'll draw further suspicion by avoiding the question," Magneto warned. "Tell her you're speaking to an old friend," he advised.
"Hey," he heard Rogue sigh. "Ya know my rude roommate, Kitty? The one I was telling ya about? Well, she's about ta ask me about a million questions about you. So, give me a minute, would ya?" she asked.
"I'm not being rude," Shadow said defensively.
"Yeah, ya are," Rogue huffed. "If you must know, I'm talking to an old friend," she said.
"Really? And what's their name?" Shadowcat asked.
"His name's Max," Rogue answered. He couldn't help but let out an amused huff. It had been years since he had been referred to by his given name.
"Oh my god, a boy?" Shadowcat exclaimed.
"Yes," Rogue groaned.
"You have a boyfriend?" the other girl asked.
"It ain't like that. He's just a friend," she said.
"Yeah, right. Your face is totally red right now," Shadowcat teased. He raised an eyebrow at the comment, but quickly dismissed his concern. This was a strange situation the girl had been thrust into. He was certain she was just embarrassed having to devise a convincing cover story in the blink of an eye.
"Shut up, Kitty," Rogue exclaimed.
"And, like, why are you calling him in the morning? Doesn't he have class?" she asked.
"He was a senior when I was a freshman. He's older than me, alright," she said.
"You have an older boyfriend?" Shadowcat squealed. "How scandalous?" she teased.
"It's ain't like that," Rogue repeated insistently.
"Is he in New York? Is that why you're calling him? Does he go to college here?" Shadowcat continued to question.
"Yes, yes, no. He's in New York now and I was calling to see if wanted to meet up this afternoon or tomorrow," she answered.
"We're going to the mall after school. He can, totally, meet us in the food court," Shadowcat offered gleefully.
"Hmm," Rogue said, clearly she was uncertain how to answer.
"Rogue," Magneto chimed in. "I'll have time to reprogram my image inducer by this afternoon. However, reflecting on the matter, I doubt I'm capable of a convincing Southern accent," he informed her.
"Hey, Kitty, you are not allowed to give Max a hard time, okay? He can have a pretty thick accent and I won't have anyone making him feel self-conscious," she said.
"Oh my god, of course not. But like, if it's so thick how do you talk to him?" she asked.
"Kitty, I'm fluent in French," Rogue answered, annoyed.
"He's from France," she exclaimed before she let out an excited yelp. "That's so romantic," she exclaimed.
"Oh my god, quit it," Rogue groaned.
"That's so cool," Shadowcat said before giggling. "How do you, like, always make friends with the exchange students?" she asked.
"Just lucky, I guess," Rogue sighed. Magneto raised an eyebrow. He was missing context. "Okay, are we done with the interrogation?" she asked, her tone taking on more aggression. "Can I talk to my friend now?"
"Okay, okay, you don't have to bite my head off," she said. Magneto listened to her let out a sigh.
"Sorry about that, Max," she said.
"That's alright, Rogue. Will this be a long or short conversation?" he asked in French, testing her claim.
"Thank you for understanding," she responded in kind. "Long, I think. I called to meet in person. It may as well be at the mall. No one will wonder where I am," she replied in perfect French.
A fair point.
"Very well. The only question that remains is how I should reprogram the inducer to ensure you recognize me," he mused.
"So, he is coming?" Shadowcat asked.
"Yeah, he'll meet us at the food court around four," Rogue answered. "I'm looking forward to seeing you there, Max," she said in English.
Another amused huff escaped him before he said, "understood."
On March 7th 2002, around 3:50pm, Rogue sat with Kitty, Amara, Tabitha and Jean at the Bayville Mall's food court. Once Kitty had mentioned her old friend to her current friends, they had all insisted on accompanying her to meet him. The other girls all had food, but she had elected to only obtain a soda.
"So, how old is he?" Jean asked, her tone had a hint of concern. She had implied he was four years older than her. And since she had turned seventeen last December.
She shook her head, dismissing the unnecessary math. She didn't want to outright lie to them. And Jean's concern was a more pressing issue. She really needed her friend Max to stay off of the Professor's radar.
"Does it matter?" she asked instead, deflecting the question. "He's older than me. So anything y'all are thinking is inappropriate and ain't ever gonna happen. We're just friends," she said.
"Boo," Kitty said before she and Amara giggled. Though, Jean looked relieved.
"Well, is he hot?" Tabitha asked.
Flashes of Magneto from his early twenties popped into her mind. His hair used to be black in pigment. And his eyes always had that intense shade of piercing blue. He had been in good shape since his early twenties, manual labor developing his muscles. And he had an infectious smile you could get lost in if you weren't careful.
"Look at how red her face is," Amara teased.
"He must be, totally, gorgeous," Kitty said.
"It doesn't matter," Rogue exclaimed before she reached forward and grabbed her soda. She took a large slurp of the ice cold beverage through the straw, needing to cool-off.
"Does he know that?" Jean asked.
"Yes, 'course he knows that. He prides himself on being a gentleman and every time we see each other he's genuinely concerned about me and tries to make sure I ain't uncomfortable around him," she ranted.
"Is there a reason you would be uncomfortable around him?" Jean asked, her concern more pronounced.
"I mean," she sighed, wishing she hadn't said anything. She took a deep breath before she continued. "When I met him, he was always older than me and he ain't American so he's more worldly and has more experiences than I do," she explained, as best she could, while being vague. "I don't know- I guess we're both aware of that but I like learning from him," she said, truthfully. "And I know he enjoys talking to me," she said, confident in her statement thanks to her powers. "But that's it," she finished.
"Aww," Kitty said.
"That's so sweet," Amara said.
"So, you would consider Max a friend, but he's more of a mentor for you?" Jean asked.
"I mean- I ain't sure," she said as she thought about Jean's statement.
"Think of it this way. Because he's more experienced than you, would you go to him for advice? And really listen to what he has to say before dealing with whatever you asked him about?" Jean asked.
'That's literally why I called him,' she thought, blinking a few times. "Yes," she answered.
"Having a mentor is," Jean said before she let out a happy sigh. "I know I can always go to the Professor if I need help. Without judgment or shame, he'll be there to offer his support. If you have someone in your life who plays that sort of role for you, then I'm happy for you," she said.
"Thanks," Rogue said sheepishly.
"But I hope you also consider the Professor a mentor," Jean said.
"I do," Rogue said with a prompt nod. "Logan too, but there are some things I can't talk to Prof or Logan about," she said as she watched concern cross Jean's face yet again. "And Jean, I know you know what I'm talking about. You didn't go to either of 'em about being a Bayville Siren. Not cause ya didn't want to, but cause ya couldn't," she pointed out.
"This again," Tabitha groaned. "We killed it."
"Yeah, we did," Amara gleefully agreed.
"Yeah, we, totally, took down their entire operation," Kitty agreed before she and Amara high-fived again.
"I bet there's more crime we could stop if we wanted to," Tabitha said.
"We already took out the car-thieves," Amara said.
"And that cop let us off with a warning," Jean said. "We can't do anything in Bayville again," she added.
"Okay, so maybe in Manhattan," Tabitha said. "I bet there are tons of people who could use our help," she said. Rogue fixed Jean with a knowing look and watched as recognition passed across her features before a quiet sigh escaped her.
'Jean,' Rogue thought strongly as Jean responded with a slight nod. 'We are never doing anything like that again. We're lucky they didn't have guns. We're lucky that cop let us go without arresting us. We're lucky to be alive. I need to know that you understand that. You're the only other voice of reason I got in this group and Tabitha looks like she's ready to pick it all back up again,' she thought.
'Rogue, I promise, we're done. I'll talk to her,' Jean thought to her.
'Thank you,' Rogue thought before she pushed on Jean's mind slightly. Jean's eyes widened with surprise, before she took the mental hint and exited her mind.
"Ladies, hot guy alert," Jean said, seeking a distraction.
"Where?" Tabitha asked, thankfully diverted from her thoughts.
Glancing up Rogue saw a man in his early twenties with shoulder length black hair which framed his face perfectly and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. She took another slurp, finishing her drink before she raised her hand up and got his attention. Magneto made eye contact with her and waved.
"Oh my god, is that him?" Kitty exclaimed.
"He's gorgeous," Amara said.
"If you don't want him, can I have him?" Tabitha asked with a smirk. Rogue rolled her eyes at the question.
"Yes, he is very handsome," Jean agreed.
"More handsome than Scott?" Kitty asked.
It was Jean's turn to blush and said fluttered, "N- no. Why- why would you compare them? I wouldn't compare them." Kitty, Tabitha and Amara all laughed at Jean's expense.
"Yeah, right," Kitty exclaimed as Amara continued to snicker.
As Magneto walked closer to the table, she saw him raising an eyebrow, no doubt at the number of individuals with her. She guessed he had only expected Kitty. She gave him a sort of half- shrug in response. It couldn't really be helped.
"Bonjour," Magneto said casually as he approached the table. Rogue couldn't help but snort in response as she stood from the table. The entire situation was insane but she really needed to talk to him.
"Hey, do you still wanna get dinner?" Rogue asked in English for the other's benefit.
"Oui oui," he answered casually.
"Great," she said, forcing herself to smile before she stepped away from the table and walked up to him.
He greeted her with a warm smile before he leaned in to give her a hug. She was surprised but went along with it, placing her hands on his shoulders. He leaned his mouth close to her ear, whispering, "j'ai loué une voiture.
She backed away from him before turning back to the girls.
"Everyone, this is Max. Max," she said, turning to look at him for a brief moment. "This is Kitty, Amara, Tabitha and Jean," she asked, pointing to each one of them as she stated their names.
A chorus of "hi's" followed Rogue's introductions.
"Bonjour," Magneto repeated as he politely waved at them all. Which was met with a round of giggles from Kitty and Amara. Tabitha was just sizing Magneto up like she wanted to take a bite out of him.
"We're gonna go get food and catch up. I'll see y'all back at the institute tonight," Rogue said, wanting to leave as quickly as possible.
"You don't need a ride home?" Jean asked.
"Max rented a car. So, he'll drop me off later," Rogue said, though the concern wasn't leaving Jean's features. "I promise I'll be home before curfew, mom," she added. Kitty and Amara immediately snickered in response, and Tabitha let out a full laugh.
Jean rolled her eyes, her face turning slightly red at being teased before she said, "seriously, if anything changes, call Scott's cell. We'll come pick you up."
"Thanks, Jean," she said with a smile. "I appreciate it."
"Nice to meet you all," Magneto said, slowly carefully, adding a heavy but believable accent to each word.
"Nice to meet you too, hot stuff," Tabitha said, her head cocked to the side, a large grin on her face. Rogue rolled eyes in annoyance.
"Et … au revoir," Magneto said in response.
"Bye," Rogue said, orated as she fixed Tabitha with a disapproving stare as Max promptly turned to leave. Tabitha just stuck her tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes again before she followed after Magneto.
They walked in silence for a while as they walked away from the food court, down the next corridor and towards the exit. As they approached the exit, he stepped forward and opened the door. He gestured with his head and she understood he was holding it open for her.
"Thanks," she nodded as she walked through. He followed quickly after and proceeded to hold the second door open for her as well. "Sorry about them," she said as they exited the building and walked towards the parking lot.
"It was not your comment to apologize for," he replied as he gestured towards a car, a gray Honda Accord.
"Still, I- I really wish Kitty hadn't seen me use the pay-phone," she said as they walked up to the car. She watched him wave his hand and understood the car was most likely unlocked. Trying the handle, she found she was correct and entered the front passenger's seat. "But I'd already waited two weeks ta contact you," she said.
"You've needed my assistance for two weeks?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I needed to talk to you the next day," she informed him. "But I couldn't just call you right after we blew up the rebirth machine," she said.
"Why not?" he asked.
"I- I don't know what Prof or Logan told Shield," she said as she watched his eyes widened. "Maybe Logan took the credit, or maybe they told Director Fury I was the one who led them to your base. And since I didn't know," she said.
"You choose to err on the side of caution and delay this meeting," he finished.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Figured if I put some distance between things, no one could put two and two together. Honestly, I've just been trying to keep this whole conversation off of Prof's radar, ya know?" she finished.
"You've done remarkably well," he told her with an approving nod.
"Not really," she sighed, looking up at him. "Everyone's gonna be talking about this. Kitty is such a gossip. She was the worst person who could've seen me calling you," she told him.
"I see. However, perhaps we can use that to our advantage," he suggested.
"How?" she asked.
"When necessary, I can easily secure our privacy. Perhaps, this ruse will allow you the same luxury," he elaborated.
"'Cause if everyone knows we're friends then no one's gonna think twice when I call you," she said.
"Precisely," he said. "Unless the situation makes you uncomfortable," he said.
"Hmm," she said.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Ya know, eventually, someone's gonna ask me what your last name is. Sir, when that happens, can I say it's Eisenhardt?" she asked. She watched his eyes shift as he considered her request.
"You may," he answered after a moment.
"It ain't like I'm lying to anyone. Not really. Your name is Max Eisenhardt. You are older than me. And with the way we keep helping each other, I think we actually are friends," she said as another amused huff escaped him. "Or maybe you're more like my mentor, like Jean suggested," she said.
"I wouldn't mind in the least, were you to consider me your adviser," he told her.
"Okay," she said with a nod. "Then, no, as long as I ain't outright lying to anyone then I ain't uncomfortable with this," she said.
"I suppose, I'm left with no choice then," he said with a slight smirk, as he gestured with her head towards her seatbelt.
"Sir?" she asked, reaching over and putting the seat belt on as she heard him start the car.
"My dear, where shall I take you for dinner?" he asked before she let out a short laugh.
"Ya know, for some reason I'm really in the mood for French food," she replied. He let out a hearty chuckle in response. "Do you think there are any good French restaurants in Bayville?" she asked.
"Let's find out," he said. "Once we're situated, then you'll explain why you called?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," she answered promptly.
"Good girl," he said as he pulled out of the parking spot.